Primal Possession (38 page)

Staring at her, he slid his boots off, then shrugged out of his long-sleeved sweater. His stomach muscles bunched under her scrutiny and she didn’t need any extra senses to see and hear how turned on he was. His breathing was erratic and lust seemed to pour off him in scorching waves. A spicy, pure male scent filled the room, wrapping around her like a shroud.

She knew he’d be able to scent her desire too. There was definitely no mistaking it. She’d been thinking about this all day at the bookstore and even closed her shop early so she’d have time to come home and get ready.

As her gaze slid down his chest and muscled stomach, she smiled when she landed on the top of his jeans. Right now too much clothing separated them. Before she could tell him to move his butt, he’d covered the distance between them.

Sliding his hands down her arms, he stopped once he reached the tips of her fingers. Then he slowly slid those strong, callused hands up her waist and ribs, making her shiver. Lust and obvious love shone from his heated gaze. “You wore this to drive me crazy, didn’t you?”

“Of course.” She smiled as he slowly lowered his mouth to hers. His kisses were soft and gentle as he explored her mouth. Her entire body hummed with excitement and she felt as if she could combust at any moment.

As their tongues and mouths intertwined, one of his hands slid across her stomach, then dipped lower until he cupped her mound. Despite the lingerie she wore, she hadn’t bothered with panties. Losing them was
always
a foregone conclusion.

When he began sliding his finger along her slick folds with deliberately unhurried strokes, she moaned into his mouth. She might not mind it slow—and loved when he gave her hours of foreplay—but tonight she ached for him so bad it was all she could do to stop herself from ripping his clothes off.

Actually, that wasn’t a bad idea. Reaching for the top of his jeans, she unsnapped the button and reached into his pants. Holding on to his hard length, she smiled against his mouth when his hips jerked unsteadily toward hers. She couldn’t explain it, even to herself, but she felt as if she’d been waiting for this moment forever. For him.

With one hand she began slowly caressing him, from
the bottom of his shaft to the top. She slid her other hand up his stomach and chest until she grasped on to his shoulder. He growled softly and when she started pumping him at a faster tempo, Liam suddenly broke the kiss and pulled his head back. His eyes were dilated and his canines had started to protrude.

He sucked in a sharp, raspy breath. “I need to be inside you.”

The way he said it completely unraveled her. There was so much warmth and love in those few words, she just came undone.

Before he could move, she grasped the hem of her nightie and tugged it over her head. As she did, he stepped out of his jeans, which had only fallen halfway down his legs. The moment she was completely bare to him, he lowered his head to her breasts and sucked one hard nipple in his mouth. Lately she was much more sensitive there and each stroke sent a pulse of pleasure shooting straight to the moist heat between her legs.

Instinctively she arched her back, wanting him to take more of her in his mouth. He ran his tongue around her areola and varied between kissing her and blowing lightly against her moist skin. The feel of his hot breath on her spiked her desire even higher.

Alternating breasts, he continued teasing her and seemed content to do nothing else. Her knees weakened, so she held on to his shoulders for support. When her fingers dug into that hard muscle, he simultaneously grasped her hips and flipped her onto her hands and knees.

Tonight was definitely it.

Her heart pounded wildly at the knowledge. The electricity in the air crackled with enough pent-up lust to set the house on fire.

She turned to look at him over her shoulder when he ran his palm down her spine. In the dimness she could clearly see his expressive need for her and for the bonding.

“You’re sure this is what you want?” he rasped out.

When December nodded and smiled seductively, Liam felt his entire world shift. He felt like he’d been waiting for this moment forever.

With her in front of him like this, so trusting and all his, he finally understood the significance of taking a bondmate. She was putting all her trust in him to make sure tonight went right, to treat her right and to always protect her. She wouldn’t know this, but shifters were extremely superstitious when it came to the bonding process and he refused to screw this up.

The past month he’d secretly been waiting for something else to go wrong, but each day that passed, the more he grew to love her. Finally crossing this line…he shuddered. Nothing would ever keep them apart again. Not even his hardheadedness. Once they were bonded, they’d be linked forever.

Running his hand down her spine again, he didn’t stop this time. From behind, he reached between her legs and tested her slickness. He inserted one finger, then two, into her tight sheath. She clenched around him and moaned. The sound was barely audible and he wanted more than that from her.

He wanted her twisting underneath him and shouting his name in pleasure.

The soft candlelight played against her ivory skin, giving her an ethereal quality. With that and the mass of her shiny red hair spilling down her back, she looked like a goddess in front of him. He wanted to tell her how much she meant to him, how beautiful she looked, but he couldn’t find the words.

Instead, he’d show her. Grasping her hips, he slowly pushed into her. Her inner walls tightened and molded around him as if they were made for each other. The clamp of her body around his cock was almost too much for his self-control. When he pulled back out of her, she quietly whimpered in displeasure until he moved inside her again.

His. She was his, forever.

Over and over, he pushed into her, unable to control the growing need inside him. His canines protracted with each stroke, his most primal side needing to claim her. To mark her. And be marked in return. He wanted that so badly he shook from it.

When she clutched the sheet beneath her and arched her back, she let out a long, throaty moan. “I need more,” she gasped.

God, yes. And he knew exactly what she needed now. Leaning forward, he slid his hands up her ribs and cupped her breasts as his mouth met her neck.

She turned her head to the side, letting her hair fall away and giving him perfect access to her neck.

A growl rose inside him as he raked his teeth against her skin. When he did, he felt her sheath tighten around his cock. So he did it again, still not breaking the skin. And her inner walls tightened again. Gripping him like hot silk. She didn’t speak, but moaned her pleasure each time he licked and nuzzled her neck.

His balls pulled up painfully with the need for release. Even though he wanted to drag this out as long as he could, he couldn’t hold back any longer.

He sank his teeth into her, breaking the skin.

“Liam!” she shouted, a tremor ripping through her. Instantly she started climaxing around him.

He hadn’t expected it so fast, but she jerked and
pushed back against him as she shouted out his name again. After he drew blood, the taste of that sweet liquid against his lips tore a raw growl from him. He’d marked her. United them.

Though he didn’t want to, he slightly pulled back and increased his movements inside her. They both needed that release. Her contractions, which had been small, surged with each thrust he made until she was whimpering and murmuring things he couldn’t understand. As her climax subsided, his own hit him with startling intensity.

December was his
bondmate
. The knowledge floored him on the most basic level and allowed him to let go of all his control. Coming long and hard, he emptied himself inside her. His hands tightened around her hips with each push until he was blindly thrusting into her and had to force himself to stop.

The moment he began to pull out of her, he felt a sharp stinging on the side of his neck. Reaching up, he ran his finger over what he knew would be a tiny Celtic symbol. Likely a bonding knot of some sort, similar to his father’s and his brother’s. Just as he’d marked her with his teeth—the small puncture marks would remain on her skin forever—their unification left a permanent imprint on him also. Like a tattoo but more permanent. And with a deeper meaning.

Liam reached underneath December and turned her toward him as he stretched out on the bed. He wanted to feel her body against his, couldn’t bear to be apart from her for even a second. Not after what they’d just shared. She stretched out until her entire body lay along the length of his. He loved the feel of her full weight on top of him.

Smiling, she kissed his chin, then all around his mouth
until she centered on his lips. Her kiss was lingering and sensuous. When she pulled back, her blue eyes seemed even brighter somehow. “That was amazing….” She trailed off and tilted his head to the side with two of her fingers. “I wondered what your bonding mark would look like. Does it hurt?” she asked softly, letting her fingers drop.

“I think I should be the one asking you that.”
How do you feel?
he projected with his mind, praying the link was complete.

Her eyes widened.
Holy crap. I can’t believe that actually works. I know what you told me, but…wow.

Wow, indeed. Returning her smile, he cupped her face between his hands and brought her mouth to his once again. There might be a lot of unknowns in their life, but at this moment, he couldn’t believe he’d ever thought he could live without her.

She was his other half. Definitely his better half. And he planned to spend the rest of their lives showing her how much she meant to him.

L
iam entered his brother’s home and immediately headed for the living room. Connor sat on the longer couch and Ana was curled up in his lap. Despite the way his arm was casually wrapped around his mate’s waist, Liam could see the slight tension lines bracketing Connor’s mouth. He couldn’t scent anything, though. As Alpha, Connor was better than most at concealing his emotions. But as his brother, Liam knew him better than anyone. Well, almost anyone.

“Congrats, Liam.” Ana grinned at him as she jumped up to hug him.

He returned the tight hug, then embraced his brother, who also congratulated him. Even though he hadn’t been to the ranch in two days—he and December hadn’t left the bedroom since bonding—he’d let his brother know he’d officially taken her as his bondmate. Informing him had nothing to do with pack rules and everything to do with the fact that Connor was his older brother. He might be Liam’s Alpha, but he’d always be his family and he’d been the first person Liam had told.

“How’s your mate?” Ana asked.

“A little nauseous but good. We have a doctor’s appointment in a couple hours.” After he left here, he was picking her up from her bookstore for an early lunch, then heading to their appointment. Right now, pack business called. Not that he’d left her alone. Until things settled down, one of his pack members was always shadowing her if he couldn’t.

“I can’t wait to have another cub around the ranch.” Ana’s voice was excited as she and Connor sat back down.

“Where is everyone?” There were scents of Vivian and Noel in the house but not strong enough for them to be there. But he was referring to Noah and Aiden, since they’d been called to this informal meeting also.

“Should be here any minute,” Connor said.

As his brother spoke, Liam heard the front door opening behind him. Aiden and Noah walked in. Most of the males and Erin were out patrolling—or watching December—but later they’d be informed of what had been discussed.

After receiving congratulatory hugs from the two males, Liam went to lean against the mantel by the fireplace. Noah joined him on the other end, looking tense as hell, while Aiden sat on the love seat.

“Where are Brianna and Jayce?” Aiden asked.

Upon the request of her warrior brethren, the Fianna, she’d returned to Ireland a week after they’d found her passed out in that barn. Her people had been in contact with their Council and she was supposed to be back by today because they wanted her to attempt to infiltrate the APL again. Something Liam knew because of Connor. He also knew Connor wasn’t sold on the idea of Brianna trying to infiltrate them again. Liam wasn’t sure where Jayce was, though; he’d expected him days ago.

“Both were delayed, but they’ll be here in the next couple days.” Connor didn’t give any other details, something that didn’t surprise Liam. Why they weren’t there wasn’t important. “The Council and the Fianna both want Brianna to infiltrate the APL again, since she has a successful track record. Once she arrives in town, she’ll be living with us, but Liam’s found a cheap apartment for her as a cover on the chance anyone does a background check on her.”

“Which they will.” Liam had no doubt of that. He wasn’t sure what Brianna’s plan was other than to befriend local APL members, but if they started another cell here, someone would be checking up on her.

“How do we know she hasn’t been compromised?” Aiden asked.

“Everyone she worked with before is dead.” Connor’s voice was grim. “Right now everyone on the list we have is lying low, but after the recent news broadcasts, the Council is tense and so am I. Just because the APL isn’t doing anything at the moment doesn’t mean the threat is over.”

Aiden straightened on the couch, his body tense and primed for battle. “That reporter went on air and cleared up that those animal attacks were just two isolated incidents.”

A dog with rabies had attacked two humans, but the news had made it sound like shifters were behind the attacks and the sheriff’s department was covering it up. “It doesn’t matter,” Liam said. “Her report stated the tone for the feeling in town. Since we moved here, December said she’s noticed a distinctive change in the attitude toward shifters. Especially after Dr. Graham killed himself.” While Ana’s pack might have lived in Fontana the past thirty years, Liam and his brother’s pack had joined them only a few months ago. New shifter males living in any area
were cause for concern by humans even if they weren’t a threat. And when a local, respected doctor—murdering son of a bitch that he was—committed suicide rather than go to jail for killing innocent shifters, including one of Ana’s sisters, some people in Fontana weren’t so convinced he’d been guilty. Liam was aware of all this only because of December and her brother. They had a better pulse on the town than any of them ever would.